Machine for destroying grasshoppers.



N0. 875,514. PATENTED DEC. 31, 1907. B. FRANCISCU. MACHINE FOR DESTROYING GRASSHOPPERS.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 11, 1907. n

. ing rapidly UNITE@ STATES PATENT onnrcn.

MACHINE FOR DESTROYING- GRSSHPPERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. nec. s1, 1907.

Application filed January l1. 1907. Serial Nox 351.811.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BERNARDINO FRAN- clsco, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Penablanca, in the county of Sandoval and Territory of N ew Mexibo, have invented a new and Improved Machine for Destroying Grasshoppers, of which the following is a full7 clear, and exact description.

This invention is an improved machine for destroying grasshoppers and like insects, designed to frighten them from the grass, alfalfa, etc. and crush them with'rapidity.

The invention embodies in its construction a frame preferably of considerable wid th and length, in which is journaled a pair of closely adjacent or intermeshing rolls, the latter bedriven from wheels supporting the frame, as the machine is drawn over the ground. The grasshoppers, on flying or jumping from the grass, etc. as the machine passes over them, contact with the rapidlyrevolving rolls and are thus destroyed.' Provision is also made for collecting a large proportion of the insects flying above the rolls and bringing them in contact therewith from the sides of the machine.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a central, longitudinal, vertical section, on the line 1-1 of F ig. 2, of one embodiment of my improved machine; Fig. 2 is a plan of the machine partly in section; and Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail view of the means employed in throwing the lacerating rolls out of gear.

In the preferred construction of my imroved grasshopper destroyer, I employ a rame composed of side sills l joined together by cross sills 2 and 3 arranged respectively at the front and rear ends of the machine. Also joining the sills 1 together, is an intermediate cross sill 4, spaced a slight distance from the sill 3, the dimensions of said sills being such as to provide a frame that will cover a considerable area.

Journaled in bearings 5 fixed in the side sills 1 between the cross sills 3 and 4 and in cross pieces 5a, are short shafts or stub axles 6, one at each side of the machine and each having fixed to its outer end at the outside of the sills 1, a wheel 7 of the usual harvester and reaper type. At the center of the front sill 2 is a post 8 having a forked lower/end, in

lwhich is journaled a single wheel 9. This post is made adjustable to support the frame at different distances from the ground, by means of a'series of openings 10 through which pass screws 11 rigidlyconnecting said post and the sill 2 together. At the forward end of the machine frame a to tached to each of the side si s 1; these tongues in connection with the brackets 12a are for bitching drawing the machine overl the ground. lach of the brackets 12a as shown in Fi 2 comprises a member attached to the a jacent sill 1 and braced at its end by a diagonal bar or member attached to the outer end of the adjacent axle 6, an aperture 12b being for receiving the usual swingletree.

Secured to the inner face of each of the side sills l between the cross sills 2 and 4, are boards 13 providing a shoulder about midbearings 14 are carried. are journaled shafts 15 to both sides of the machine, intermeshing gears 16 acting to ositively d rive a train of intermeshing rol s. 17 also fixed to said shafts. These -rolls are preferably constructed of wood or other material, and are each formed -with large teeth or corrugations, which better adapt them to entrap the grasshopper or other insect as the rolls revolve.

In these bearings which are fixed at the side sills 1, is a standard -18 to which a wide strip of canvas or other material 19 is secured, forming a wall at each side and. at the rear end above said rolls, but leaving the forward end of the machine open. This wall collects a large proportion of the insects flying above the rolls as the machine moves forward and forces them into contact thereith from the sides of the machine.

mechanism is provided for positively driving the rolls 17 and throwing vthem into and out of action. A large gear 20 is fixed to the short or stub shaft 6 and mashes with a gear 2l, which in turn meshes with the gear 16 vlixodto the rear shaft 15. The gear 21 is die 22, but is prevented from sidewise movement thereon in any suitable manner. As shown in Fig. 3, the spindle 22 is provided with a bearing in the adjacent side sill 1 and also a bearing ing in the cross sill ll, said opening being of e12isat-v .suitable draft animals iny provided at the junctionof these members way of the width of the said sills on whichl Secured at each corner above the rolls to' At each side of the machine the followingl journaled on a longitudinally movable spin-1 2B arranged in a suitable open-v lmachine is in motion.

both the spindle and attached gear. On the upper edge of the cross sill 4 is ixed a notched arc 24 concentri'cally arranged'with the pivot of a hand lever 26, the latter carryn ing a spring-pressed bolt 27 for engaging with the notchesin the arc, and thus locking the -lever in adjusted position. 'l he lever Z6 is extended belo its pivot 25 Where it is connected with an arni 2S projecting from the inner end of the spindle 22, through the intermediary oi a link 29. A spring 3() sur rounding the spindle 22 and interposed between the cross s'il i and gear 2l, normally retains said gear 2l in .mesh with both the gear 20 andthe 'adjacent gear 16. As is obvious from this construction, on Withdrawing the'bclt* '27 and pulling the levers 26 to one side to engage said bolts with the next adjacent notch in the arcs 24, the

rapidly driven by the intermeshing gearing and act to crush or mash the grasshoppers orother insects as they contact therewith.

Although I have described. the invention in detail in order that the construction may be fully understood, it is obvious that varisuiiicient extent to provide clearance for ous immaterialchangee may be made in the construction of the same, falling Within the scope of the annexed claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and 'desire to secure by Letters Patent: v

1. An insect destroyer comprising a frame, a series of-corrugated, intern'ieshing, crushing rolls journaled crosswise of the. frame,

internieshing gears in fixed relation to said.

rolls, an axlejournaled in the frame having a Wheelixed thereto for supporting the saine,

a gear fixed to the axle, a gear interineshing `vvlth the gear fixed to the axle and one of said interineshinggears, and a hand lever operable to shift said last-named gear, whereby said rolls 'are thronn out of action.

2. An insect destroyer comprising` a traine, a series of closely adjacent rolls journaled crosswise of 'the frame, interineshingr gears in fixed relation to said rolls, an axle journaled in the frame, having a wheel lfixed to one end thereof for supporting the frame, a gear fixed to the axle, an intermediate gear adapted to mesh with the gear fixed t'o the axle and one of said intermeshing gears, a seat fixed to the frame, and a hand lever carried by the frame adjacent to said seat, operable to shift said intermediate gear sidewise, whereby said rolls are thrown out of action.

In testimony' whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

BERNARDTNO FRANCISCO.

Witnesses:

ALBERT DAEGER, ARBoGAs-"r REisLER. 

